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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spring — a coil
  5. wound — an injury
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spring — the season
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fall — the season
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — of water
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mug — a face
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com